LONDON:IKEA GreenTech, an IKEA Group venture capital company, is investing in DyeCoo Textile Systems, a Dutch company that has developed an innovative waterless dyeing system that has the potential to accelerate a clean revolution in the textile industry.

The DyeCoo technology uses recycled carbon dioxide to avoid the large amount of water and chemicals used in traditional dyeing processes, an innovation which could have a significant impact on the wider textile industry, one of the world’s biggest consumers of water.

Sustainable innovation

As well as using water more efficiently, the technology will also stem the flow of polluting wastewater into the areas surrounding textile factories. This means it has the potential to bring major environmental benefits to Asia, the region where most of the world’s textile suppliers are located.

The technology is the first of its kind to be commercially available.

Christian Ehrenborg, Managing Director, IKEAGreenTech, said: “DyeCoo’s waterless dyeing technology is a truly innovative system that could bring real environmental and costs benefits for the textile industry by reducing water and chemical use. Through the partnership, IKEA will help to speed up the development and availability of the technology.”

Steve Howard, Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Group, said: “IKEA strives to have a positive impact on people and the planet. By helping to scale the DyeCoo system for use with larger production volumes, we could help to make a big difference for the environment as well as workers and communities around textile facilities.”

Collaboration with Nike

The world’s leading apparel and footwear brand, NIKE, Inc. also recognizes the potential of the technology. Having invested in DyeCoo in 2012, Nike worked closely with IKEA GreenTech during the investment process.

Hannah Jones, VP of Sustainable Business & Innovation, Nike, said: “IKEA’s decision to invest in this technology signals an exciting step in cross-industry collaboration. A key objective for Nike, when investing in DyeCoo, was to scale the technology to benefit consumers, business and the environment. We’re delighted IKEA shares a similar objective to accelerate development of more sustainable materials and manufacturing processes.”

Both Nike and IKEA are members of The Climate Group. Ben Ferrari, Director of Corporate Relations, The Climate Group said: “We need the world’s leading corporations and investors to make pioneering changes in the way they do businesses, in order to accelerate the scale-up of innovative low carbon technology and increase sustainable profits that will benefit all.

"Collaboration between leaders such as Nike and IKEA will not only drive this clean revolution in the important textiles industry, but it will trigger a far-reaching impact beyond the sector. This new technology and the collaborative leadership behind it will deliver results that could potentially spur similar partnerships across the world and help ensure we move towards a prosperous, clean economy.”